A widespread power outage struck the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Monday afternoon, shutting down amusement rides and forcing visitors to evacuate several attractions as crews worked to restore electricity.
The outage began at approximately 3 p.m. PSE&G attributed the disruption to "an issue with equipment internal to American Dream's electrical system," With crews working to restore service. The exact cause has not yet been determined.
All guests were safely removed from affected rides, with firefighters from the East Rutherford Fire Department assisting in evacuations. One individual reportedly experienced difficulty breathing during the incident.
American Dream stated, "Due to a localized power outage, some areas of the center are currently without power. We are working closely with the utility company to restore service as safely and quickly as possible."
Social media videos showed relatively orderly conditions inside the mall, with shoppers navigating dimly lit corridors and visitors waiting near the pool area after being instructed to exit the water. A notable crowd gathered near customer service, with many visitors apparently seeking refunds.
Witnesses described the sudden onset of the outage. One guest recalled that lights went out followed by a "really loud noise," After which the rides stopped immediately.
Tourist Tony Rodgers, visiting from Florida, expressed frustration: "I go to the mall and there's no power. Everything's all blacked out. I'm like, there's no way. I came all the way from Florida and today is the day there is no power."
Another visitor noted, "We were waiting for a ride. We were about to get on when the power went out."